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Hillary Clinton says her legacy will be reasserting American leadership

“We are going to lead because America is destined to lead,” she said. “We do have to get our own house in order — our economic house, our political house — but we cannot abdicate leadership in the rest of the world.”

Clinton, who plans to retire from office after the 2012 election, dismissed the persistent suggestions that she might run for president again in 2016 and brushed aside recent polls that suggest voters are having second thoughts about voting for President Obama over her in the 2008 primary.

“It feels irrelevant to me,” she said. “A decision was made; I think the president has done an excellent job under the most difficult circumstances.”

Clinton added that doubters would have to wait and see to believe she’s leaving politics.

“I'm really old-fashioned, I feel like. I've made my contribution, done the best I can. But now I want to do different things,” she said, mentioning that she wants to do more writing.